Old theatres in London not fit for purpose

[Theatredisappointment]

I went to the theatre last week for a birthday treat and now remember why we stopped going.

in the past I have paid hundreds of pounds only to have people in front of me wearing hats and obscuring the view, people wearing huge puffer coats who are about 7 feet tall again obscuring the view. I’ve had people squashed up to me in the next seat making it uncomfortably and impossible to move, as a short person even I noticed the lack of leg room which means people behind you have their legs pushing into the back of your chair constantly.

This time I saved up and purchased a seat in the circle with no one in front of me. Amazing I thought I won’t have to worry about getting a tall person in front of me. Of course I hadn’t anticipated there would be a morbidly obese person behind me. She’d bought 2 seats obviously aware there wasn’t room for anyone next to her but instead my family and I and the person sitting next to me had to endure her body pressing into the back of our seats her stomach was hanging over onto my neck. Every time she moved which was constantly the whole row of seats moved and people were complaining.

It was a horrendous experience. I said nothing to this woman as obviously she couldn’t help it. During the interval I and the lady sat next to me asked a member of staff if we could move, explaining the problem, but were told the theatre was full.

I don’t blame this woman I blame the theatre (The Ambassador) who have squashed as many seats in as possible with zero leg room. They knew she’d booked two seats and would have seen why when they checked her ticket and yet they allowed everyone in seats nearby to suffer.

The whole theatre needs a refit. It’s unacceptable that you pay hundreds of pounds to be put in a tiny seat with zero leg room and the seats aren’t even staggered making it OK for only the tallest people to see the stage! Never again.

I love them. Always sit there before the show commences and think how beautiful they are and atmospheric

What are theatre staff supposed to do at the point they check her tickets when she arrives and it is a full to capacity theatre? They can’t magic up space. Maybe she mentioned the issue when she booked and maybe she didn’t and just booked two tickets thinking it would be sufficient, you can’t possibly know unless you spoke to her. It is entirely the patron’s responsibility to check that they are booking spaces that they will be able to use without impacting on others. I used to work with a very large man who when he flew would book a while row of seats to himself for exactly this reason. Also not sure where this money for a refit would come from given the arts sector is on its knees. Plus some people like old fashioned and historic venues - many of which are protected and cannot be easily modified if at all.

I don’t blame this woman I blame the theatre (The Ambassador) who have squashed as many seats in as possible with zero leg room.

Yeah I imagine when the theatre was built in 1913 they didn't really think about future fatties 🙄

littlemussclutter have you heard of a REFIT

Are you prepared to pay twice as much for your tickets to cover the refit and loss of capacity?

Yes, have you heard of stupidity?

So they're supposed to take out two seats and replace them with one large one?

Thus needing to double the price of an already very expensive theatre ticket?

Catch yourself on.

A lot of the theatres in London are listed buildings. You aren’t allowed to just refit them.

littlemiss are you the morbidly obese woman in the theatre?

I agree OP. I'm not especially large but have long legs and find theatre seats very uncomfortable. I'm also surprised they meet fire regulations given how long it would take people to evacuate.

People are taller and wider than when these historical theatres were built so they really should consider repositioning at least some of the seats to accommodate today's humans. Every time I've bought a ticket recently, it's included a levy 'to support the arts' so perhaps they should use that money?

It's not really the theatre's fault. It sounds like this lady would have struggled to fit in a seat in a modern theatre too.

I love the old theatres. I know there's no leg room and there is often an odd pillar a bit in the way but the atmosphere and history outweighs these problems for me. I imagine all the people from 100 years ago sitting watching a show just like I'm doing.

The problems you've listed appear to be people problems really. Inconsiderate hat wearing and being morbidly obese.

The Ambassadors is particularly horrible for legroom (not quite as bad as the Lyric Shaftesbury Avenue), but I’m not quite sure how someone’s stomach could be on your neck. (Also not sure how buying two seats would help anyone, as I thought armrests were fixed in most theatres, so not as though people can actually sit in two seats)

Sorry, the person behind yous stomach was pressing into your neck? I cannot work out the physics of this... was she also incredibly tall? And how did she deal with the arm rest in the middle of her two seats, they don't tend to raise in theatres?

Go to a different, more modern theatre e.g. the bridge theatre or the kiln x

I don't mind an old theatre but love it when something I want to see is in a newer theatre and you know the sightlines will be good, it won't be freezing or boiling and the seats will be verging on comfortable. Love the National Theatre!

I think someone is maybe just exaggerating a teeny tiny bit here

Is this as intelligent as your conversation gets?

Also, just putting it out there but fat people and tall people are allowed to go to the theatre. They've paid their money too and it's not their fault they are fat/tall and the seats are teeny (Playhouse in Edinburgh is the worst I've ever found, entire audience is practically limping out with discomfort at the end of the show)

I don’t think anyone is saying they aren’t to go are they? But if you know your body shape - tall or otherwise - then it’s part of sorting out your logistics to arrange stuff ahead of time to be as comfortable as they can. My ex was 6’ 7’’ - he just got used to having to be clear when making arrangements whether going to the theatre, flying or even buying a bed. One of my friends is in a wheelchair, they also have to do the same, but it’s worth the extra time taken to sort out the lay of the land to make them as comfortable as possible.

No I agree, all I'm saying is that in theatres and on planes etc sometimes it's not possible to not be in the way if you are big. I'm not, but my mum/sisters are, and my partner is 6'5'', and I really feel for them when people are so clearly furious at them for just being in a space. The lady in question bought two seats etc, how was she to know they would wobble or that her incredibly high up and wide stomach would overhang the row in front (though I'm still not clear on how it would). All I'm saying is sometimes it's not avoidable!

The older West End theatres can be uncomfortable, I agree, but there’s very little than can be done about it. There’s a huge difference in somewhere like Sadlers Wells.

If the lady was morbidly obese then presumably she should've asked for a seat in a disabled as area, with more space.

I go to the theatre in London every month. I’ve never felt anyone pressing into the back of my seat.

Some of them are very old, have annoying pillars (Harold Pinter), very shallow rakes, or railings obstructing the view slightly but that’s part of their charm.

I always try to get front seats of the stalls towards the aisles. They tend to to be significantly cheaper, decent leg room and no one in front of you.

If she isn't disabled, she shouldn't be taking up seats for disabled customers.

I love the old London theatres even though I struggle to get around them due to disability. They have so much character and history. I dislike the new purpose built multi purpose arenas. Whilst they serve a purpose, for me there is no atmosphere in them.

This account seems massively exaggerated. I love theatre and take in about 6-10 shows a year at a variety of places. As a tall woman I have struggled with leg room a LOT. I went to watch Paranormal Activity at Ambassador and had to apologise to people in front as there was such little leg room I had to sit sideways and my knees still pressed in front.

That said, somebody so fat their belly rubbed on your neck? Come on now….